Horseracing in the Philippines began as a recreational activity in 1867. Its history is divided into three major time periods based on the breed of horses raced, in conjunction with the three significant eras of Philippine history. According to the type of horses used, the periods are the Philippine-pony era (1867–1898), the Arabian-horse era (1898–1930), and the Thoroughbred era (1935–present). The Arabian-horse refers to the time when the "American Philippines" were a territory of the United States, 1898–1946, although the Arabian-horse era only lasted until 1935.